The injuries that occur in car accidents of any type can be very serious. One of these serious injuries is a brain injury and not all are the same. There are many different types with as many causes.
If you’ve suffered a brain injury, you need to pay close attention to the type of injury you’re diagnosed with, the treatment plan you must follow and the prognosis for your injury.
Penetrating injuries
A penetrating injury means that something hits the head with enough force that the object or fragments from it come into contact with the brain. Interestingly, the object doesn’t have to move at a rapid speed to cause this type of injury. In fact, lower speed impacts might cause remarkable damage because of the ricocheting effect that can make the area of damage larger. Sharp objects within the vehicle or something coming through the vehicle can lead to penetrating injuries.
Concussions
A concussion is often thought of as an injury that comes from contact sports, but the impact and force of the crash can lead to this injury. You don’t have to hit your head to suffer from a concussion. Violent shaking of the head can lead to this type of traumatic brain injury, but it can also be caused by you hitting your head on something.
You might not feel like there is anything wrong with your brain right when the injury occurs. These injuries can sometimes take days or weeks to appear. They can take months to years to heal and can have complications like blood clots, brain bleeds, fractures or brain swelling.
Other types of brain injuries
Sometimes, a car crash can lead to a diffuse axonal injury. This is caused by the violent movements of the head and the fact that the brain doesn’t move. As the brain is pulled in the skull, the skull moves faster and the force leads the structures of the brain to tear. These tears can damage nerves, which leads to chemicals being released that can damage the brain.
A contusion, which is a bruise on the brain, might occur. These are the result of bleeding. If the contusion is large, it might have to be removed during a surgery.
A coup-contrecoup occurs when an injury impacts one side of the brain and the exact opposite side of the brain. This is due to the force of the impact when the brain slams against the skull on one side and then on the other side.
All brain injuries mean that you need medical care and might have to take time off work. This can impact your life greatly.
